Sectional fluid manifold assembly



2 Sheets-Sheet l R. C. HUPP SEGTIONAL FLUID MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY Nov. 23, 1965 Filed Aug. 28, 1961 Nov. 23, 1965 Filed Aug. 28.

R. C. HUPP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HUBERT' C. HUPP (A) ,JHM

United States Patent 3,219,053 SECTIONAL FLUID MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY Robert C. Hupp, 422 N. Main St., Lapeer, Mich. Filed Aug. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 134,383 3 claims. (Cl. 137-269) The invention relates in general to manifold assemblies which are made up of a plurality of blocks some of which mount Huid control components and at least one of which serves as an economical and convenient means of directing uid in accordance with the requirements of a particular fluid circuit.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sectional manifold assembly Which usually includes two or more mounting blocks but which may comprise only one, with a directional block which serves as the means of directing fluid between two points on the same mounting block or between two points on different mounting blocks.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sectional manifold assembly which is economical and convenient to design and assemble as well as being capable of being disassembled so as to accommodate possible subsequent fluid circuit changes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sectional manifold assembly which includes at least one mounting block and a directional block mounted in edge to edge relationship with matching fluid ports or passages and with their front faces usually lying in the same plane and with a means for holding the blocks together so that they can be conveniently assembled and disassembled if desired.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a manifold assembly construction which can be made economically which by alternate methods would be uneconomical.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of this invention may be hadby referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is an elevational View of a sectional manifold assembly constructed under the teachings of the present invention and comprising three mounting blocks and two directional blocks;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken` generally along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a View taken generally along the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2.

The sectional manifold assembly of the present invention shown in the accompanying figures comprises, for the sake of illustration, first, `second and third mounting blocks 11, 12 and 13 respectively. It will `be appreciated by those skilled in the art, after a detailed discussion of the present application, that the sectional manifold assembly may be made up of any number of mounting blocks within reason, however, for the sake of illustration, only three mounting blocks have been selected. The sectional manifold assembly is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The mounting blocks shown herein are adapted for mounting liuid control components on the front fac`e 16 thereof, however, none of these fluid control components have been illustrated herein. The general construction of the device shown and illustrated herein is shown in applicants copending United States patent application Serial No. 817,658, led June 2, 1959, now United States Patent No. 3,025,878. In this application (Serial No. 817,658), valve 16 has generally been shown and the details of the fluid component in the instant embodiment are similar. Each of the mounting blocks 11, 12 and 13 comprise a generally rectangular metal member constructed in many instances of aluminum, howevenit will be readily appreciated that it may be constructed of other material. Each of the mounting 3,219,053 Patented Nov. 23, 1965 ICC blocks is provided with rst and second side portions 20 and 21 respectively and also a rear face 23 and top and bottom edges 25 and 26 respectively. The rst side portion 20 of each of the mounting blocks 11, 12 and 13 are provided with drilled openings 29 and 30 respectively which extend between the top and bottom edges 25, 26 and when assembled together are in line with each other and serve to make up what may be referred to as drain and low pressure passages respectively.

The second side portion 21 of the mounting blocks 11, 12 and 13 are similarly provided with drilled openings 32 and 33 which serve respectively as high pressure and return passages. The front face 16 of mounting blocks 11 and 12 are provided with sub-plate mounting assemblies 36 and 37 respectively. Each of these sub-plate assemblies are similar in nature and are patterned after the disclosure made in United States Patent No. 2,826,436, issued March 1l, 1958, in the name of Robert C. Hupp et al., and more specifically, is in the nature of the construction shown in FIGURE 5 of this patent. The subplate assembles 36 and 37 each include a lock plate 40 which has a plurality of hexagonal openings therein (in this instance six in number). The lock plates are suitably secured to the front faces of the mounting blocks 11 and 12 respectively by friction pins 42. These two blocks 11 and 12 are identical in nature and only one will be described in detail. The lower two hexagonal openings in the lock plates received hexagonally headed insert members 44 and 45 respectively with insert member 44 being connected to drain 29 by means of drilled conduit 47 and insert member 45 is in uid communication with the return passage 33 by means of drilled conduit 48. Immediately above the insert members 44 and 45 are provided hexagonally headed insert members 50 and 51 respectively and these two insert members extend completely through the mounting block as seen in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawing with the portion adjacent the front face of the lock plate being in communication with an appropriate hydraulic component, for example the valve 16 which is shown in United States patent application Serial No. 817,658 led .Tune 2, 1959 (FIGURE 3 thereof), now United States Patent No. 3,025,878. Hexagonally headed insert members 55 and 56 are also provided and drilled conduits 58 and 59 extend from the insert member 55 to the top edge 25 of the mounting block and drilled conduit 60 extends from insert member 56 to the top edge 25 of the mounting block.

At least one of the functions of the directional blocks 64 and 65 which are respectively located at the top and bottom edges of the first mounting block 11, is to direct fluid between the manifold passages, that is passages 29, 30, 32 and 33, and the insert members on the face of the mounting blocks which are in turn connected to the valve or other uid component or cylinder ports mounted thereon. In this embodiment the ports and passages in the directional blocks connect only with pressure passages 30 and 32, however, it will be appreciated that they may connect to passages 29 and 33 or merely extend from one mounting block to another. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the directional blocks 64 and 65 serve the function of enabling the sectional manifold assembly to be fabricated at a cost which is economically feasible. The usefulness of the present invention will best be appreciated by observing the relationship of the directional block 64 with the mounting block 11. Utilizing the same width, height, and depth dimensions, or working Within the same envelope dimensions, it would be diicult if not impossible to produce the communicating passageways which have been shown herein by cross drilling a single block having the same size as combined blocks 64 and 11. By utilizing the separate directional block 64 this can be accomplished. Another advantage in this particular design is that it is possible to manufacture the mounting blocks 11, 12 and 13 on more of a standardized basis. The cross drilling variables can be more easily resolved by use of the directional blocks 64 and 65.

The directional blocks 64 and 65 are quite similar in nature and block 65 is the only one which will be described. Block 65 is provided with four drilled openings which extend from the top to the bottom faces thereof numbered 67, 68, 69 and 70 respectively, and these openings are lined up with openings 29, 30', 32 and 33 respectively in the blocks 11, 12 and 13. A cross drilled opening 73 is provided which is again drilled from the bottom face thereof at 80 and 81 to provide for communication between the low pressure conduit 30 and the opening 58 in the mounting block as well as the opening 60. These two openings as observed from above, lead respectively to the insert members 55 and 56. A cross drilled opening 74 leads from the high pressure conduit 32 through conduit 59 to the insert member 55 which in turn is connected to the valve not shown. Directional block 64 is the same but opening 67 has been omitted and opening 69 does not extend completely through the block.

The first, second, and third mounting blocks 11, 12 and 13, as well as the directional blocks 64 and 65 respectively may be secured together by suitable means which in this embodiment is by tie rod members. The specific use of tie rods in this particular embodiment illustrates a means which enables the various blocks which make up the assembly to be readily assembled and disassembled in the event a subsequent circuit change occurs. The tie rod means of connection is quite similar to that shown in United States patent application Serial No. 817,658, now United States Patent No. 3,025,878, and includes first and second tie rods 75 and 76 which extend through the low pressure conduit 30 and the return passage 33 respectively. The tie rods are held in position at either end by means of tie rod nuts 77.

In general, the operational use of the specific manifold assembly which has been shown is to introduce low pressure fluid into conduit 30 by means of port 78 on mount- -ing block 13 and high pressure iiuid into conduit 32 by means of fitting 79 also located on mounting block 13. The fluid enters through the low `pressure and high pressure ports 78 and 79 respectively and follows their respective conduits through insert member 55 to the pressure input port of the fluid valves. The valve spool then directs the fluid out cylinder port insert 50 where it serves to actuate a cylinder or other device, at the same time fluid returning from the cylinder enters at cylinder port insert 51. This fluid in turn being directed by the valve spool out the return conduit 33 by way of insert 45. It is understood that the shift of the valve spool changes the relative function of the cylin- Y der ports. It will be noted that fiuid can enter into the valve from two sources, low pressure and high pressure from conduits 30 and 32 respectively. Check valves 82 and 83 are provided in conduit 58 and 59 to isolate high and low pressure as required.

This particular embodiment of the invention has been utilized to describe only one specific fluid circuit and it will be appreciated that the component which is mounted on the front face of the mounting block may vary as well as the iiuid circuitry required in the directional blocks to accommodate these changing situations. As a result, the purpose of the embodiment shown herein is to illustrate the utility of the directional blocks having both the cross drilled holes and holes from the top to the bottom face in order to make a workable sectional manifold assembly. It will be noted from the drawings that the cross drilled openings in both the mounting and directional blocks are plugged by pipe plugs 86 at the edge surfaces. All of these plugs are indicated With the same reference numeral.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A sectional manifold assembly for mounting iiuid control components including in combination at least two mounting blocks, each said mounting block comprising a generally rectangular metal member having first and second side portions, a front face and top and bottom edge surfaces, a first manifold passage extending through said first side portion of each said metal member, a second manifold passage extending through said second side portion of each said metal member, means on said front face of each said metal member for mounting fiuid control components, passageway means in each said metal member for connecting iiuid control components to said top edge surface of each said metal member, a directional block having first and second side portions, a ifront face and top and bottom edge surfaces, a first manifold passage extending through said first side portion of said directional block from said top to said bottom surface thereof, a second manifold passage extending through said second side portion of said directional block from said top to said bottom surface thereof, drilled openings extending from said bottom edge surface of said directional block and also laterally to said first manifold passage therein and said second manifold passage therein, said directional block having only passages and openings therein, said bottom edge surface of one of said mounting blocks being in engagement with said top edge surface of said directional block and said bottom edge surface `of said directional block being in engagement with said top edge surface of the other of said mounting blocks with said first manifold passages and said second manifold passages in said blocks being in register with each other, said front faces of said blocks all lying substantially in the same plane, said passageway means being in communication with said drilled openings in said directional block to connect fluid control components with said first and second manifold passages, and means acting on said blocks for holding said blocks together.

2. A sectional manifold assembly for mounting fluid control components including in combination at least two mounting blocks, each said mounting block comprising a metal member having first and second side portions, a front face and top and bottom edge surfaces, a first passage extending through said first side portion of each said metal member, a second passage extending through said second side portion of each said metal member, means on said front face of each said metal member for mounting fluid components, passageway means in each said metal member for connecting Iiiuid components to said top edge sur-face of each said metal member, a directional block having first and second side portions, and top and bottom edge surfaces, a rst passage extending through said first side portion of said directional block from said top to said bottom surface thereof, a second passage extending through said second side portion of said directional block from said top to said bottom surface thereof, wall means defining openings extending from said bottom surface of said directional block and also laterally to said rst passage and said second passage therein, said directional block having only passages and openings therein, said bottom edge surface of one of said mounting blocks being in engagement with said top edge surface of said directional block and said bottom edge surface of said directional block being in engagement with said top edge surface of the other of said mounting blocks with said first passages and said second passages in said blocks being in register with each other, said passageway means -being in communication `with said wall means which dene said openings in said directional block, and means acting on said blocks for holding said blocks together. I

3. A sectional manifold assembly for mounting fluid control components including a mounting block, said mounting block comprising a metal member having rst and second side portions, a front face and top and bottom edge surfaces, a first passage extending thr-ough said rst side portion of said metal member, a second passage extending through said second side portion of said metal member, means on said front face of said metal member for mounting fluid components, passageway means in said metal member for connecting fluid components to said top edge surface of said metal member, a directional block having first and second side portions and top and bottom edge surfaces, a first passage extending through said first side portion of said directional block `from said top to said bottom surface thereof, a second passage extending through said second side Iportion o-f said directional block from said top to said bottom surface thereof, wall means defining openings extending from said bottom surface of said directional block and also laterally to said first passage and said second passage 25 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,792,021 5/ 1957 Greeley g 137-596 2,834,368 5/1958 Gray 137-271 2,954,051 9/1960 Krehbiel 137-596.13

3,107,694 10/1963 Hastings et al. 137-271 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,220,601 4/ 1960 France.

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

KARL J. ALBRECHT, HENRY T. KLINKSIEK,

Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE CERTIFICATE OE CORRECTION Patent No. 3,219,053 November 23, 1965 Robert C., Hupp It is hereby certified tha-t error appears in the above numbered patand that the said Letters Patent should read as ent requiring correction corrected below.

line 21, for "assembles" read assemblies strike out "acting on said blocks" and "means" in .line 9, same ycolumn 6 Column 2, column 6, line 7, insert the same after Signed and sealed this 2nd day of August 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD I. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. A SECTIONAL MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY FOR MOUNTING FLUID CONTROL COMPONENTS INCLUDING IN COMBINATION AT LEAST TWO MOUNTING BLOCKS, EACH SAID MOUNTING BLOCK COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR METAL MEMBER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND SIDE PORTIONS, A FRONT FACE AND TOP AND BOTTOM EDGE SURFACES, A FIRST MANIFFOLD PASSAGE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FIRST SIDE PORTION OF EACH SAID METAL MEMBER, A SECOND MANIFOLD PASSAGE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SECOND SIDE PORTION OF EACH SAID METAL MEMBER, MEANS ON SAID FRONT FACE OF EACH SAID METAL MEMBER FOR MOUNTING FLUID CONTROL COMPONENTS, PASSAGEWAY MEANS IN EACH SAID METAL MEMBER FOR CONNECTING FLUID CONTROL COMPONENTS TO SAID TOP EDGE SURFACE OF EACH SAID METAL MEMBER, A DIRECTIONAL BLOCK HAVING FIRST AND SECOND SIDE PORTIONS, A FRONT FACE AND TOP AND BOTTOM EDGE SURFACES, A FIRST MANIFOLD PASSAGE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FIRST SIDE PORTION OF SAID DIRECTIONAL BLOCK FROM SAID TOP TO SAID BOTTOM SURFACE THEREOF, A SECOND MANIFOLD PASSAGE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SECOND SIDE PORTION OF SAID DIRECTIONAL BLOCK FROM SAID TOP TO SAID BOTTOM SURFACE THEREOF, DRILLED OPENINGS EXTENDING FROM SAID BOTTOM EDGE SURFACE OF SAID DIRECTIONAL BLOCK AND ALSO LATERALLY TO SAID FIRST MANIFOLD PASSAGE THEREIN AND SAID SECOND MANIFOLD PASASSAGE THEREIN, SAID DIRECTIONAL BLOCK HAVING ONLY PASSAGES AND OPENINGS THEREIN, SAID BOTTOM EDGE SURFACE OF ONE OF SAID MOUNTING BLOCKS BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TOP EDGE SURFACE OF SAID DIRECTIONAL BLOCK AND SAID BOTTOM EDGE SURFACE OF SAID DIRECTIONAL BLOCK BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TOP EDGE SURFACE OF THE OTHER OF SAID MOUNTING BLOCKS WITH SAID FIRST MANIFOLD PASSAGES AND SAID SECOND MANIFOLD PASSAGES IN SAID BLOCKS BEING IN REGISTER WITH EACH OTHER, SAID FRONT FACES OF SAID BLOCKS ALL LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE SAME PLANE, SAID PASSAGEWAY MEANS BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID DRILLED OPENINGS IN SAID DIRECTIONAL BLOCK TO CONNECT FLUID CONTROL COMPONENTS WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND MANIFOLD PASSAGES, AND MEANS ACTING ON SAID BLOCKS FOR HOLDING SAID BLOCKS TOGETHER. 